CoffeeNate #26 :: Grind Em If You Got Em

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Welcome to the first post of 2010 at CoffeeNate.com After eating about 8 million calories worth of holiday food, it’s time to get back to reality. This week I am addressing a very serious issue, as far as coffee quality is concerned anyway. The coffee grinder. Just how important is the way you grind you coffee? It is the single most

important, and often overlooked, element in your daily coffee ritual! Each method of brewing requires a specific degree of grinding depending on the amount of time the coffee is in contact with the water. If you don’t grind precisely, then you will pay for it by getting a nasty, subpar cup of coffee! For example, French Press brewing requires coarsely ground coffee, while espresso demands very fine coffee granules. So, how do we properly grind coffee? You have to purchase a home grinder. You are now wondering which type of coffee grinder is the best. There are two main types of home grinders…blade grinders, and burr grinders. Blade grinders are what you will find for $10-15 at the local dept. store. The problem with blade grinders is that they actually slice the beans, they do not grind them, and it is absolutely impossible to control the final product. You will end up with some dust, and some chunks. The dust will be over-extracted, while the chunks will be under extracted, both produce poor flavor. Burr grinders on the other hand, will grind the coffee to your exact specifications. There are ‘flat’ burr grinders, and ‘conical’ burr grinders. What you want, is a conical burr grinder. Although they are usually higher in price, they will out last and out perform the flat burr grinder. I purchased my personal grinder for less than $100, and I’ve used it multiple times per day for 10 months now. It still works as well as the day I bought it!

I got some great coffee this week from Cherry Hill Coffee, based in Kelowna British Columbia, Canada. Okanagan Gold is the name of the blend that I received. It is a blend of South American and Central American varieties of coffee, medium roasted to allow the unique flavor notes to permeate you the senses. The aroma is that of brown sugar and milk chocolate, sweet and inviting. This coffee is medium bodied and full of flavor. With strong notes of chocolate covered cherry and delicate notes of brown sugar, this blend is a winner! The finish is bright and pleasing, sparkling on the tongue as it is swallowed. What I like about Cherry Hill Coffee is that they have a focus on organic and fair trade practices. Organic farming methods produce better tasting coffee, while protecting the communities in which they are cultivated. Many coffee farmers are not properly educated on the correct use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The result is contamination of water supplies and negative effects on the surrounding flora and fauna.

Unfortunately, Cherry Hill is only available in Canada, good news for my Canadian friends who have been unable to purchase some of the American roasted beans. To purchase Cherry Hill Coffee, just visit Zcafe.ca and select the type you want to buy. There is free shipping on orders of $50 or more. Follow Cherry Hill on Twitter.

Be certain to enter the FREE coffee contest, sponsored by TheFineGrind.com You can check out their site, and also follow them on Twitter @TheFineGrind It’s easy to enter!

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On January 13th, I will draw a winner and they will be able to choose any coffee from The Fine Grind (does not include ultra premium coffees, Kona/Blue Mountain). The Fine Grind will ship directly to you at absolutely no charge! Enjoy 🙂 One last thing, If you enjoy what you see at CoffeeNate.com then please pay me back by visiting my sponsors! Every time a visitor from my site goes to a sponsor’s site, they know where the click came from. Show my sponsors that you appreciate their contribution to this site! Take care and good luck 😀

Nate is a special kind of coffee lover. He began drinking the same swill that most others do, but thought there must be something better out there. Sure enough, he was right, even more so than he ever dreamed possible. He soon found his way into the specialty coffee industry, and was tasting exceptional coffees from dozens of roasters from around the country. He is now committed to teaching others how they can appreciate coffee, and how they can make the best coffee in town and save money at the same time! Cheers c[_]